What people are saying

"Our first experience working with Highland Planning was on a very complicated, stressful, and high profile project at the state level. As our community engagement specialists, Tanya and her team had to develop an outreach strategy, organize and publicize countless events all over New York, and facilitate meetings and phone interviews on subject matter that was new to them, all under a very quick timeline. And they could not have done it more perfectly. We asked for a lot; they delivered, and then some. We would trust Highland Planning with any project, big or small, and know that our team would be better and stronger with them on board."

Ira MabelMullin & Lonergan Associates

"Highland Planning is redefining how public input is gathered and integrated into our projects. The staff is always so personable and inspired that they are able to build a trustworthy relationship with the community, leading to more effective and engaging community participation; and more effective and engaging community participation results in a project that is supported by the community.

The team at Highland Planning are also very involved in their own neighborhoods, having invested time, effort, and resources into numerous community projects. Their passion for urban planning is evident in their daily work ethic and is reflected in the trust and relationships built within the communities in which they work.

We look to Highland Planning whenever we come across challenging community engagement efforts to ensure that our projects are implementable and will have a positive community impact; and bringing about positive community impact is what all urban planners aspire to achieve."

Fred FrankPlanning Project ManagerWSP

"Highland Planning has helped us manage significant projects as part of our organization's growth. Highland Planning oversaw and authored an extensive feasibility study that included interviews, surveys, focus groups, teams of consultants, and many moving parts. They managed our exploration and eventual purchase of a new facility. They facilitated the planning and writing of numerous successful grant applications. The list goes on... The team at Highland Planning has become a trusted part of our leadership team and allows our organization to have the capacity to think big and act accordingly. The team at Highland Planning is talented, dedicated, and leaders in the collaborative process of ideation, action planning, plan implementation, project management, and process evaluation."

Chris HartmanHeadwater Foods, Inc.

"I really appreciated that the survey was well-publicized and available via text. These extra steps (going well beyond the typical link buried on an obscure page of the city website or flyer on some bulletin board) gave me the impression that my opinion, and that of my generation, was being actively sought and might actually be valued. There was a good mix of multiple choice and open-ended questions presented in logical sequence and opportunities to provide further comment on multiple platforms. Overall I was impressed that this survey felt like a genuine request for community input rather than the usual obligatory step in an opaque process."

Dan SpecialeA member of the public

"Highland Planning and its staff are dedicated and committed to the betterment of our community, and demonstrate that in the range of projects they have undertaken. Plus, they are approachable, knowledgeable and very easy to work with."

Eilleen ThomasSouth Wedge Planning Committee

"Our work with Tanya Zwahlen and Jen Topa at Highland Planning aims to help in the revitalization of certain areas of the Northwest Quadrant of the city of Rochester. I have been impressed by their dedication, hard work and perseverance in accomplishing many of our goals, including:​

Organizing a business association in a difficult area of the city where previously one had not existed and was greatly needed.

Strong outreach to businesses within areas where our division had targeted to make a positive impact.

Organizing events to bring the community together.

Highland Planning has had a very positive impact upon our efforts. I can confidently recommend Highland Planning to any organization looking to make a positive difference within their community. "

Thad SchofieldEconomic Development Project ManagerCity of RochesterDepartment of Neighborhood and Business Development

"Tanya and her staff have been fantastic to work with. They are always prepared, attack any assignment with relish, and are conscientious about the project schedule and budget. We have worked together on challenging urban transportation projects and Highland Planning has found creative ways to communicate technical concepts to community members. And the best thing about the Highland Planning staff is that they are fun to work with!"